Love, Life and Demigods: The Ascension of Olympus
by Asteral de Tellimor
Summary: Percy, Annabeth and Thalia are on a special mission for Lord Zeus. They have been ordered, in no uncertain terms, to rescue an unknown demigod held captive by a band of monsters near San Francisco (no surprise there). But what exactly is so important about this mysterious demigod? And who is his godly parent? Based on Percy Jackson and the Olympians, owned by Rick Riordan.
1. A Daring Midnight Raid: Chapter 1

A Daring Midnight Raid: Chapter 1

Percy and Thalia crept closer to the scene of interest: a campfire in the middle of a clearing, in the Muir Woods National Park in San Francisco. Not the safest place for them to be, but the mission they were on required them to be in close proximity to Mt. Tamalpais. They were constantly alert but feared no attack, as any monsters were being held at bay by the Huntresses.

Now, although this is on a fanfiction website, and 99% of anyone who reads this will at least have a vague idea what I'm talking about, I feel obliged to explain to those who may have stumbled upon this in interest exactly what the hell it is I'm talking about. You see, Percy Jackson and Thalia Grace are not what you'd call regular teenagers (if such a thing exists at all). Percy's mother, Sally Jackson (well, Sally Blofis now, but that's another story) is a perfectly ordinary human being like you and I (well, you at any rate) and the same held for Thalia's mother, before she died some years ago. Their fathers, however, aren't human at all. Thalia's father is Zeus, Lord of the Sky and King of the Olympian Gods, whilst Percy's father is Poseidon, God of the Seas. Yes, you heard me correctly, their fathers are literally gods. This makes Percy and Thalia both demigods, half mortal, half Olympian god. As such, they are used to execute the will of the gods in the mortal world, where the gods are strictly forbidden to interfere. As in this case. Percy, Thalia and their best friend, Annabeth Chase (Who also happens to be Percy's girlfriend, and yes, it's THAT kind of relationship) have been ordered by Zeus himself to rescue the demigod held by the monster band in the clearing, by any means necessary.

But, Asteral, I hear you cry, the Greek gods are just legends. Well, not quite true. Olympus is attached to the heart of Western Civilisation, and so it moves when the heart of civilisation does. Currently, Olympus now resides over the Empire State Building in New York (obviously). Last summer, Percy led a band of brave demigods (and a mortal girl with special powers – also another story) against the Titan Lord Kronos, who was defeated on Olympus, saving all of civilisation and starting what is predicted to be the longest Golden Age the Earth has ever enjoyed. So, now you know, let's continue with the story.

And FYI – the Huntresses mentioned earlier are the legendary Hunters of Artemis. Thalia is Artemis' lieutenant, and so is the leader of the Hunt. And now, campfire.

Percy and Thalia were waiting for Annabeth to return from scouting out the camp, which contains four Laistrygonian giants (big, ugly, short tempered), a pair of _empousae _(seductive, creepy, vampires) and a manticore (ranked in Holy Mother of Shit category, venomous spines, French). I should point out that Annabeth has a New York Yankees cap that turns her invisible, hence why she's not being turned into fine demigod mist.

Five minutes later, Annabeth returned and became visible to deliver her report.

"Giants?" Percy asked.

"Four of them," she replied. "although the thickest bunch I've seen in a while. They should be easy to take out."

"Others?" Thalia asked.

"Two _empousae_ and a manticore. The manticore appears to be in charge of the group."

"That makes sense." Percy muttered.

"Here's what we should do. I'll sneak back in, get Philip to distract-"

"Philip?" Percy and Thalia asked in union.

"Yeah, the demigod." Annabeth said

"Ohhhh." The other two chanted, again in unison.

"Anyway, Philip will distract the _empousae_, I'll kill them when they're not looking, which will be the signal for the attack. Thalia, you and the Hunters attack the giants, and Percy can handle the manticore with no trouble."

"Hold on," Percy said. "The _empousae _may be able to see through your disguise."

"Philip thinks not. I managed to talk to him, and he reckons the _empousae_ are just amateurs. Apparently, they try flirting with him a lot, so he'll try and use that to his advantage."

"Very clever." Thalia commented, already impressed. "I'll inform the Hunters of the plan." And with that, she melted into the forest.

Now, you might think pitting anyone, especially her boyfriend, solo against a manticore sounds a bit dangerous, but there's two things you should know; firstly, Annabeth is a daughter of Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle strategy, so her strategies are always accepted without question; and secondly, Percy bathed in the River Styx last summer before fighting Kronos, making him almost invulnerable except for a single (almost literally) Achilles' Heel. For those of you who already know this, I cannot apologise enough for the repetitive back story crap. I just like to be thorough. And back to story.

"Well," Percy commented. "This should be a cakewalk." He moved closer to Annabeth. "Do you know his godly parent?"

"No, but..."

"What?"

"He definitely knows. And he's definitely trying to avoid the subject."

"But all the gods are accepted at camp now. What's he hiding?"

"Gods know."

"Well, at least one in particular does."

"Go figure."

"Anyway, let's stick with the plan. OK?"

"OK." Annabeth answered. "I love you Percy."

"I love you too."

They kissed quickly, before Annabeth put on her cap and crept back towards the enemy camp. Percy got out his pen-sword, Anaklusmos, which means Riptide in Ancient Greek, and waited for the signal with slightly baited breath. He may be invulnerable, but Annabeth, the love of his life, certainly wasn't.

Annabeth crept stealthily back to the cage where Philip was imprisoned, to bring him up to speed on the plan.

"...and when you've got their attention, I'll stab them in the back (if you'll pardon the pun), which will be the signal for the Hunters to attack the giants. Then Percy will deal with the manticore. If you're right about them being careful not to hurt you, you would probably be safer in the cage until the fight is over."

"Sounds good to me, Annabeth." Philip murmured. "I trust your judgement. You have a strong sense of strategy; I can tell by your eyes."

"But... "

"You're invisible, yes. It takes a lot more than an enchanted cap to hide from me. Although it does suit you."

"Thanks!"

"Anyway," Philip stood up. "I think it's time to get my acting career on the road."

He walked to the front of the cage and lazily drooped his arms over the bars. The _empousae _spotted him and sauntered over. It was obvious that they fancied him, but unfortunately he didn't have a thing for flame-haired (literally) vampires with mismatched legs.

"It's Terri, isn't it?" he asked the _empousa _with the African-American appearance.

"That's right, honey." She replied seductively. _Well, seems I've got a fan_, Philip thought.

"And you're Suki, aren't you?" he said to her Japanese-looking friend.

"You remembered!" she almost squealed. _Oh gods, not another squealer._

"Well, girls," he said. "I'm feeling a bit lonely tonight, and I wonder if you'd like to, how can I put this, keep me company?" He didn't know which one was more excited. Thankfully, the manticore didn't care less, or he might have noticed something going on. He reached his hands through the bar and stroked the cheeks of the two _empousae_. Terri growled sexily in her throat, whilst Suki almost swooned. Then suddenly, the girls gasped as Annabeth stabbed them in the back; they turned into dust right before his eyes.

"Just when things were looking up." He joked. He heard Annabeth giggle slightly. "And now – OI, SPIKY!" The manticore whipped around and growled at him. "Your girlfriends just bit the dust (_tee hee)_!" The manticore roared, and would have charged the cage, except just then an arrowstorm filled the clearing just above his head and the giants disintegrated, their essence returning to Tartarus. The manticore screamed at Philip, but then Percy charged from the edge of the clearing. The manticore showered him with venomous spikes, but they just bounced off him. _How different from Westover Hall,_ he thought to himself. Percy leapt into the air and slammed riptide into the manticores chest, killing him instantly. Annabeth became visible again and rushed to Percy, just as the Hunters came out of the treeline.

"Are you OK Percy?" she asked, a look of concern in her stormy grey eyes.

"Aww, is this touching concern for your almost invulnerable boyfriend I hear, Wise Girl?" Teasing her with his favourite nickname for her.

"Eat your heart out, Seaweed Brain." She laughed. "Come here!" They kissed passionately in the centre of the field, Thalia and the Hunters trying to stifle their giggles, when suddenly –

"Ahem!" Philip coughed loudly, making them all turn. "As much as I do love a good romance, may I remind you I am still stuck in a cage here." They all roared with laughter, even Annabeth and Percy.

"Well," Percy muttered to Annabeth. "Time to find out who you are."


	2. The Mysterious Philip de Tellimor

**DISCLAIMER **(with Thalia and Philip)

**Asteral: **Hey guys!

**Thalia: **Hi Asteral!

**Philip: **Hey there.

**Asteral: **Aren't Percy and Annabeth supposed to be helping us?

**Thalia: **Well, they're kind of, well, you know...

**Asteral: **(Rolling eyes) Oh for gods' sake. (Picks up megaphone) WILL YOU PLEASE STOP MAKING OUT IN MY HALLWAY AND HELP US DO THE DISCLAIMER, DAMMIT?

**Percy: **We're not in the hallway!

**Asteral: **Fine. Let's do it without them.

**Thalia: **Ok. Asteral here doesn't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

**Philip:** Nor does he own Heroes of Olympus.

**Asteral: **They both belong to Rick Riordan. But I do own Philip, which is quite weird, but if you like him, i'll let you borrow him.

**Philip: **Sounds good! Hey, wait a second...

(Sounds of things falling over upstairs)

**Asteral****:** For the love of Aphrodite... Can you two go and drag them downstairs please?

**Both: **Sure.

**Asteral: **And now they're gone, I should warn you that there is some mature content in this one, namely shenanigans (and you know exactly who I'm talking about). Enjoy! And don't forget to comment!

* * *

Percy, Annabeth, Thalia and Philip were on their way to Annabeths apartment in San Francisco where her dad, Prof. Frederick Chase, still lived. Annabeth was really excited to see her dad again, especially as this was the first time she and Percy would be visiting together. On the way there, travelling in the SUV her dad had leant to them (or rather to Percy, who was the only legal driver in the group), they told Philip the stories of all their adventures together; of how Percy, Annabeth and their friend Grover had found Zeus' master bolt; when they had journeyed to the Sea of Monsters to retrieve the Golden Fleece, and how that had brought Thalia back to life (long story); of how they'd rescued Annabeth from the Titan Lord Atlas; how they'd journeyed through Daedalus' labyrinth and fought off Kronos' army from invading camp; and finally how they'd fought and defeated Kronos in Manhattan last summer.

"So, Philip," Percy asked. "Where are you from?"

"Originally, I'm from Cardiff in the UK, but I moved to Washington eight years ago with my mum."

"Sounds exciting," Thalia said. "What does your mom do?"

"She's a diplomat representing the UK in the United Nations. She got offered a post in Washington as a diplomatic envoy to the USA. The money was good, and we had nothing to hold us back, so we moved when I was seven. And I'm guessing you know the situation with dad..."

"Yeah," Annabeth said. "Who is your dad?"

"Well, it's kinda complicated. I've always known who he is. He turns up from time to time. As far as I can tell, I'm his only living child by a mortal."

"You're his only demigod child?" Percy asked, slightly disbelievingly.

"Yeah, something like that..." he trailed off. Percy and Annabeth shared a glance. He saw what she meant. He would move off the topic of his father if it was ever brought up and try to evade answering who he was. They carried on talking about other things until they arrived, and saw Annabeth's dad coming out towards them. The moment Percy stopped the car, she leapt out and ran into his open arms.

"Dad!"

"Annabeth," he hugged her close. "It's so good to see you again."

"And you, dad." They kept hugging until Percy and the others walked up the drive towards them. They all greeted each other, with Prof. Chase teasing Percy and Annabeth, much to Thalia's delight.

* * *

Prof. Chase has to travel overnight to a conference the next day, and the rest of the family was on holiday, so they had the entire apartment to themselves.

Later that night, Annabeth brought up the question of Philip with Percy again in her bedroom.

"I'm telling you, Percy, there's something he's not telling us. Every time we ask him about his godly parent, he clams up and changes the subject."

"I know," Percy agreed. "It's like he's ashamed of him. Or worse, afraid. Or both. But it makes no sense. All the gods are accepted at camp now. Why would he be afraid of us knowing?"

"I don't know, Percy. Hopefully he'll tell us in time."

"Yeah," said Percy. "Let's hope so." He pulled her into a close embrace, and showered her neck with kisses.

"Well now, Seaweed Brain," she teased him. "You are being romantic this evening."

"Well, now that you mention it..." He kissed her deeply and passionately, stroking the small of her back gently as he did, causing sounds of pleasure to emanate from the back of her throat. She unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his well-toned abs and pectoral muscles. He picked her up and carried her to the bed, locking the door behind them. Annabeth laid back on the bed as Percy threw his shirt on the floor and kicked his jeans off. He laid on top of Annabeth; as she took her shirt off, he pulled down her shorts and underwear in one move, leaving her in nothing but a blue t-shirt bra. She pulled his boxers off, revealing an impressive erection that had Annabeth almost swooning. She moaned as he gently eased himself inside her. When his full length was inside, he looked at her. She nodded, and he gently began to move in and out, increasing speed until Annabeth was nearly screaming with pleasure. This went on for an hour, until-

"Percy! I'm coming!" She came all over his penis and screamed properly. A moment later he released his own orgasm, and collapsed beside her, both breathing heavily.

"I love you so much, Annabeth." Percy gasped.

"I love you too," she answered, and kissed him until they fell asleep, Annabeth wrapped gently in Percy's arms.

* * *

While Percy and Annabeth slept in Annabeth's room, Thalia and Philip shared the two single beds in the room next to them. Thalia spent most of the night trying not to giggle at the sounds of Percy and Annabeth making love next door (which Thalia claims sounded VERY enthusiastic), but it gave her time to study the mysterious demigod sleeping across from her. Philip was about 5'8'', with messy hair, spiky like her own, but dark brown in colour. His eyes were that soft brown colour you couldn't help but fall for, capable of being both friendly and furious. He had a scar that ran across his right eye, a button nose that made him look cute and he tanned well.

Thalia knew who his mother was: Kathryn de Tellimor, world famous diplomat from the UK. But his father was a complete mystery to her. He didn't fit the profile of any of the Olympian gods she knew. He was very enigmatic, a mystery that would take time to understand. When Percy and Annabeth eventually quietened down, she rolled over and thought upon the mysterious boy until sleep claimed her mind.

* * *

The next morning, Thalia noticed Percy and Annabeth were being particularly flirty over breakfast, and quietly giggled to herself. Whilst they ate breakfast (pancakes and Maple Syrup, which were blue for some reason), a ball of light appeared in the kitchen, and Percy's father, Poseidon, walked in.

"Hey guys," he said cheerfully. "I thought I'd come and see how you're, er, _special mission _is getting along."

"Went great," Percy said through a mouthful of pancake. "We rescued Philip and beat up the monsters holding him."

"What happened?"

"Let's just say," Thalia said. "They're all over the place."

"I see," Poseidon said knowingly. "And you must be Philip! Glad to finally meet you."

"An honour, Lord Poseidon," Philip bowed to the god.

"I like him already," Poseidon joked. "Anyway, Zeus asked me to pass on a message. Actually a few people did, but first things first: Zeus has asked you to bring Philip to Olympus ASAP. There's a few things we've gotta sort out before he goes to camp. Artemis asked me to tell you Thalia what a great job you're doing, you're a fantastic lieutenant, keep it up, etc."

"Thanks!" Thalia beamed.

" Hermes and Apollo say hi, as always, and Athena wanted me to give Annabeth the usual spiel about staying away from Percy, yada yada, but frankly.." He pulled up a chair and leaned in close. "Frankly, most everyone is rooting for you guys. Hermes and Apollo, obviously, Ares, even Artemis. And Aphrodite even said-"  
"OK!" Percy cut him off, dreading to think what Aphrodite had said about them. "I think we get the picture."

Poseidon looked at him apologetically, whilst Thalia literally fell off her chair laughing. Even Philip chuckled at that.

"I'd better go then." He stood up and hugged Percy before turning to leave. "Remember, Zeus wants Philip at Olympus ASAP. If you follow this route-" He handed Percy a map. "-Apollo says he'll be able to give you a speed boost. Should have you in New York by nightfall. See you around Percy."

"See you, dad."

Poseidon walked back into the light and vanished. After breakfast, they all piled into the SUV and made for the route Apollo had laid out for them. As promised, by nightfall they were just pulling up outside Percy's mom's apartment. Thalia and Philip were asleep in the back; it was nearly 10:30. Annabeth and Percy shared a glance at Philip.

"So," Percy said. "Tomorrow we take him to Olympus."

"And find out who he really is," Annabeth finished. "She looked back at him. "What is it you're hiding, I wonder?"


	3. The Truth that Rocks Olympus

**DISCLAIMER:**(With Poseidon and Athena (gods help me))

**Asteral: **Greetings, friends.

**Poseidon: **Hello, Asteral

**Athena: **Hi (gives slightly evil stare)

**Asteral:** Will you please stop giving me those looks? It was his idea. And frankly, he has all of Olympus behind him.

**Athena: **You do not want me as your enemy, mortal.

**Asteral: **(exasperating) What difference does it make? You can't hurt me. You're a figment of my imagination!

**Athena: **We'll see about that.

**Asteral: **Anyway, can you guys help me do the disclaimer?

**Poseidon: **Sure. Asteral doesn't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

**Athena: **(Dark murmur) But apparently, he does own the way my daughter behaves.

(Poseidon and Athena descend into bickering. I facepalm.)

**Asteral:** They're gonna be a while. (Mutters to self) I knew this was a mistake. Carry on with the story and tell me what you think. If Athena hasn't turned me into fine purple mist by that point.

* * *

After spending the night at the Blofis', the four demigods were treated to a big breakfast spread put on by Sally. It had everything from omelette to French toast to scrambled egg (but, again, it was all blue). Sally constantly embarrassed Percy by telling everyone his baby stories, which even had Philip in hysterics.

Percy noticed that, again, Philip was dodging the question about his father.

"What is he hiding?" Percy asked Annabeth exasperatingly when they were packing in his room.

"I know. I hate not knowing. I just hope to the gods that we find out today."

"So do I." Percy gently hugged her close. "At least we'll finish the mission today, and then we can go on that trip we planned."

"A romantic vacation to Rome?"

"Which will almost certainly involve you dragging me around the Coliseum, all the while lecturing on how it was built."

"Haha! You love it really."

"Of course. It means that I'm still with you."

"Aww, is Seaweed Brain feeling lonely?"

"I'll never be lonely whilst your here." He kissed her deeply, knowing there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Even being bored senseless dragged around the Coliseum by her.

* * *

After that, they packed their stuff into the SUV (their final stop would be at Camp Half-Blood) and made their way to the Empire State Building. They walked into the main lobby, Percy taking the lead and approaching the desk at the far end, where the lobby guard for Olympus sat.

"600th floor please." Percy said to him.

"There is no 600th floor, kiddo." The guard replied as normal.

"Zeus in particular asked for us."

"Did he now?"

"We have the, er, _special package_ he might have mentioned." The guard paled a little at this.

"You do?" Philip waved at the guard. "OK, go right on up!" Percy and Annabeth shared another glance. Whoever Philip was, Zeus certainly thought him important. They entered the lift, and Thalia pressed the button for the 600th floor. As they went, the sound of Luciano Pavarotti played through.

"Nice choice."Philip commented.

"Believe me, it normally isn't." Percy told him. They got to the 600th floor, and stepped out into Olympus. Although it was still undergoing construction after last summer's battle with Kronos, it was still an impressive sight.

"Well," Percy hugged Annabeth around the waist. "You've certainly done well with the place."

"Thanks," she kissed him lightly on the cheek. "So, do you want the tour or shall we get straight to business?" They all laughed and headed for the throne room. On the way there, they met an unlikely friend: Hades.

"So," he said. "You've brought Olympus' newest celebrity with you, I see. Much trouble getting him, Jackson?"

"Not much at all, sir," ever respectful around the Lord of the Underworld. "Some giants, a manticore and a couple of _empousae_. Although you can thank Annabeth and Philip for those." Hades pushed past him to greet Philip.

"Well, you certainly have your father's looks."

"Thank you, sir." Philip bowed to Hades as he had done to Poseidon.

"Let's hope things go to plan, eh?"

"Certainly sir."

Hades disappeared in a column of black smoke; the others pressed on, impatient to finally unravel Philip's story.

They arrived in the throne room, where Poseidon, Athena, Ares, Hades, Hera, Hephaestus and Zeus were waiting. They made to approach the gods, but Philip stopped them.

"Wait here."

"Why?" Annabeth asked, beginning to get fed up with all the secrecy.

"I need to speak to them alone. You'll find out soon. I promise." And with that he turned and walked towards the gods. By the time he arrived, they had shrunk down to normal size. As he approached, he bowed to the gods.

"Lord Zeus," he bowed to the King of Olympus. "I have come as you have asked."

"Have you brought the artefact with you?"

"As promised, here it is." He took off the strange medallion he wore around his neck and presented it to the gods. "The Heart of the Imaginer." The gods stared for a moment, not believing what they saw. Then Zeus stirred.

"Athena, you are the expert on the Imaginer. Does it fit your description?" Athena took the medallion from Philip and inspected it carefully. After a moment's scrutiny, she nodded.

"This is the Heart of the Imaginer, or at least bears its semblance."

"Hephaestus," Zeus prompted. "Can you recognise this craftsmanship?" Athena gave the medallion to her brother, who also looked over it carefully.

"This pre-dates any workmanship I am familiar with," he said in his rough voice. "But it is far finer than something even I can make. This does fit the old legends." He handed the medallion to Zeus, who held it reverently before him.

"It appears," he spoke to Philip directly. "That you and your father have upheld your end of our bargain. I cannot speak for the entire Olympian council, but I can assure you that you have the support of at least us, if not all the major gods. We will bring up the matter straight away."

"Thank you, Lord Zeus." He bowed to the god, then returned to the waiting group, just as the gods resumed their normal positions on their thrones. Zeus clapped his hands together, and all the Olympians appeared. The council was far greater in number now since the fall of Kronos. Hades now sat at the Inner Circle with the other major gods, whilst all the minor gods shared two rows in the Outer Circle.

"What's going on?" Percy asked, now slightly concerned at what was happening.

"Now I can explain," Philip took a breath, and began his story. "My father isn't amongst the Olympian gods. He never has been, and previously never wanted to be. I suppose that's why he saw so much of me, not being attached to the duties of the Olympian council. However, now that I'm older, he wants me to be trained at Camp Half-Blood. He asked Zeus, but was refused – he wasn't an Olympian, and so didn't qualify. But Zeus gave him a chance. He asked us to retrieve for him an artefact called the Heart of the Imaginer. If we did so, he would allow my father to join the council, and I could be trained at Camp."

"So, if he isn't an Olympian, then who exactly _is_ your father?" Thalia asked.

"I'm sorry, Thalia," Philip apologised. "I can't. Not yet. My father made me swear on the River Styx that I wouldn't reveal his identity. Not until our deal was made. It would be dangerous... for both of us." Thunder in the distance confirmed he was telling the truth.

"Well, we're about to find out." Annabeth pointed. "They're starting."

The four friends watched as the council was brought to order. Zeus rose from his throne and addressed his fellow Olympians.

"Brothers. Sisters. You know why we are gathered. We are here to decide on a matter that has no precedent in the council of Olympus. This half-blood, Philip de Tellimor, has requested that his father be allowed to join this council. I gave them a task that was near impossible, to prove their worth. And now, they have achieved it: they have uncovered the Heart of the Imaginer." As he held the medallion up for all to see, there were many gasps from the council members. Even Hades was clearly amazed.

"And so, my brothers and sisters, we have a choice to make. Although, I sense that I do not need to ask." The council made murmurs of agreement. "Then let us cast our vote without further delay. All those in favour?" The entire council raised their hands, without exception.

"Then, let it be done. Come forth, Brother of Olympus!"

A cloud of dark smoke trailed into the room and formed a column before the council. When the smoke settled, it materialised into a godly form.

Percy, Annabeth and Thalia stared, and their mouths literally fell open. It was the last person they expected. And I mean, the _last_ person they expected. Philip turned to them with a slightly guilty look on his face, now able to reveal his identity.

"So," he cleared his throat. "Here goes nothing. My name is Philip de Tellimor. I am not a demigod. I am in fact a demititan. I am the heir, and only child, of the Titan Lord Prometheus."


	4. A Discussion: Artemis

**Asteral:** The revelation that Philip is the son of Prometheus took the minds of all three and scrambled them completely.

**Artemis: **Well, I'm not surprised. It shocked us all when we heard their proposal.

**Asteral: **Indeed. Chiron thought it was a joke when Dionysus first told him. What did you think of it, just out of interest?

**Artemis: **As shocked as I initially was, the sentiment behind it was well placed. I would have done the same in his position. (Realises what she just said) Er, not that I-I would ever, ahem, be in that position. (Highly embarrassed)

**Asteral: **Of course. (Slight inward cringe) So, after Prometheus was accepted into the council, Philip was of course granted entry to Camp Half-Blood.

**Artemis: **Yes. That was the beginning of a new era at Camp. A most interesting time.

**Asteral: **Indeed. (Turns to audience) And we'll cover that in the next chapter. When I can be bothered to. So watch this space, and if you want to see anything in particular, now is the time to comment.


	5. First Steps

**DISCLAIMER** (With Percy and Annabeth)

**Asteral: **Hey guys.

**Percy and Annabeth: **Hey.

**Asteral: **So, after our last attempt at this, frankly I nearly didn't let you do this.

**Percy: **(Feigning innocence badly) What do you mean, after last time?

**Asteral: **I mean, after you made out in my hallway for half an hour and nearly broke my bathroom mirror. But, in the pursuit of good spirits, I shall overlook that. And now, the disclaimer.

**Percy: **Asteral here doesn't own Percy Jackson (awesome dude, by the way) and the Olympians

**Annabeth: **(Rolling her eyes at Percy's cockiness) And he also doesn't own Heroes of Olympus, even though they haven't actually appeared yet?

**Asteral: **I'll try to work them in the next chapter.

**Annabeth: **OK. And what's this about you apparently owning the way I behave...?

**Asteral: **Have you been speaking to your mother recently?

**Annabeth: **Yes, but how... (Pauses, looks at Percy, cogs whirring, answer clicks). Ah.

**Asteral: **Two points to Annabeth Chase. So, enjoy the story all. (Pulls ludicrously oversized chaingun from back of sofa) I've got a goddess to hunt down.

* * *

Two weeks have passed since Prometheus joined the Olympian council. After the Initiation Ceremony, Philip travelled to Camp Half-Blood in the company of Thalia and the Hunters – Percy and Annabeth had already left for Rome. His arrival in camp suffered mixed reactions, to say the least. The campers kept their distance, less out of suspicion than fear. Chiron, as always, was very welcoming of the Camp's new resident.

"Welcome, Philip." He was in his wheelchair for the first meeting, but it didn't trick Philip, with his insightful abilities.

"You need not hide from me, centaur," he said warmly. "Not that you ever could." Chiron smiled, realising that Philip would be an interesting camper. He climbed out of his wheelchair and assumed his full centaur form.

"Of course. Well, I'm afraid you've presented us with a lodgings quandary. It would be inappropriate to house you in the Hermes cabin, seeing as you know your, er, divine parent, as it were. On the other hand, you'll have to build your cabin."

"All is to hand, friend. I've called in a little help. I'll have to find a location for it, though."

"Alright." Chiron glanced around the camp. "Might I suggest the top of the hill there, just overlooking the other cabins?" Philip followed his gaze, and nodded approval at Chiron's suggested site.

"That will be ideal." He picked up his pack and walked over to the site. He pulled a schematic out of his bag and started pacing out dimensions. Thalia had followed him, and started giggling under her breath as he muttered about architectural aspects. He noticed, and gave her a funny look.

"What?" he asked her rather indignantly.

"Sorry," she chuckled. "It's just, this is exactly the sort of thing Annabeth would love." She smiled at him in a certain way that made his heart tug slightly. The feeling took him quite by surprise, but it also rather scared him.

_Ok, did not expect that_, he thought._ I seriously hope this isn't what I think this is. Falling in love with a Hunter of Artemis is never a good idea. Especially not if you consider the prophecy. _He smiled back at her nonetheless, which, unbeknownst to him, had the same subconscious effect on her.

_Waaah! This isn't happening! _She panicked at the jump her heart had just made. _Please, please don't let this happen. Any other time and any other person, just please don't let me fall in love with him. This mysterious, kind and gorgeous boy that I can't take my eyes off. Please don't let him be attracted to me!_

* * *

Up on Olympus, Aphrodite purveyed the scene, via a 42'' plasma screen in the comfortable office that was attached to her private temple. She smiled ruefully at her initial handiwork.

"This is gonna be fun," she giggled to herself. Apollo walked past the door, and hearing her laughing, he doubled back, his curiosity piqued.

"You okay, Aphrodite dear?" She gave him a mischievous look and beckoned him to have a look at the screen. He came around, looked at the screen for a second, and doubled over laughing.

"Oh dear gods!" he laughed. "You are in so much trouble when my lil' sis finds out."

"I know, but it's so worth it!" They were laughing so hard that Apollo nearly forgot to breathe – not that he needed to in the first place, but hey, what the Hell, this is my story dammit! (Sorry). Anyway, back in Camp Half-Blood...

* * *

Philip had finished pacing out the area where the Prometheus cabin was going to be placed. Subtly hiding the brand new cocktail of feelings he had for the girl standing to the side, he put the plans down and looked towards the sky.

"Father Prometheus!" He called to the heavens. "Come to my aid!" A cyclone of dark smoke filled the sky directly above him, and Prometheus descended in a column of darkness. It took Thalia, in her self-battling state, a moment to realise that a Titan had just appeared in front of her. Prometheus was remarkably similar in looks to his son. He had the same sleek, black hair, and they both shared those brown eyes that she found so irresistible. Whilst Philip was wearing an open-necked dark shirt with cargo's and heavy duty walking boots, his father wore a razor-sharp noir three-piece suit with jet-black tie and a dazzlingly white shirt, with a black overcoat draped over his left arm. He had an air about him that exuded supreme confidence, that he could take on just about any situation and immediately control it.

"Hi, dad." Philip smiled at him.

"Hello, Philip." Prometheus embraced his son. Thalia had been raised under the mantra that the gods were, at the very least, cold towards their demigod children. Seeing Philip and his father like this, she was deeply moved, simultaneously happy, jealous and slightly dejected at the same time. She wished her own father, Zeus, could be like that sometimes.

_Well_, she thought. _I _am _being emotional today._

"So," Prometheus clapped his hands together. "Shall we get started?"

"Why not?" Philip picked up the plans. "I've paced out the area, and I reckon we should have the front overlooking the Sound in that direction – "At this point, Prometheus noticed Thalia standing off to the side, whose face betrayed her deep chain of thought regarding her emotions. Being the Titan of crafty counsel, Prometheus had ever been able to read deep into the hearts and minds of others. Now, he knew his son like the back of his hand, and seeing Thalia's expression he immediately arrived at the right conclusion. Not really knowing about the antics of Aphrodite, he was quite surprised.

_How about that? Maybe I don't know as much about Philip as I thought._

" – and have six pillars rather than eight, ten was definitely too many, and lose the marble arch as well as it's far too vulgar."

"OK," Prometheus waved his hands over the plans and changed them accordingly. "Let's make this happen." He raised his hands, summoning some of the dark magic that had now become associated with him, and created a column of smoke in front of the trio. When he lowered his hands, the smoke went with them and dissipated to reveal a cabin that took Thalia's breath away.

The exterior was constructed of redwood supported by rows of marble columns. It was a two-floored construction, the lower floor being an open plan lounge-style area, the upper floor being a contained bedroom (presumably) opening onto a balcony. Various flags hung from each column, and draped across the front of the balcony was a banner depicting two crossed swords buried on the ground with a white eagle flying above them, and the omega symbol of Olympus in gold in the background. Thalia didn't recognise it, but she assumed it could only be the personal symbol of Prometheus.

"Well," she said in a small voice, overwhelmed by what she was seeing. "Now that's a cabin." Prometheus smiled at her, then gestured for both demigods to enter.

"Time for the grand tour, I think?" Prometheus followed them into the cabin, watching their every move.

_Time, I think_, he thought to himself, _to see exactly what's going on between these two._


	6. First Steps Part 2

First Steps Part 2

**DISCLAIMER **(With Prometheus)

**Asteral: **So, nice to finally meet you.

**Prometheus: **And you.

**Asteral: **And how are you enjoying Olympus?

**Prometheus: **Very well, thank you. Some of the gods still don't trust me, although a lot of the minor ones are more than happy with the arrangement. It is to be expected, and rightly so.

**Asteral: **So it is. Anyway, we are here for a reason, so if you would be so kind?

**Prometheus: **Of course. Asteral doesn't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, nor does he own the Heroes of Olympus series. Speaking of which, when are they going to get a showing?

**Asteral: **Well, as it so happens, they're in this very next instalment. Read on and enjoy.

* * *

Prometheus led Philip and Thalia inside. If she was impressed by the outside, the interior was just as good, though less grandiose. Instead of dominating marble pillars, the inside was more like a captain's cabin or log house. A large fireplace was built into the north-facing wall, with a sofa and two leather backed chairs surrounding it. A much larger sofa was positioned on the opposite side of the room, facing a large plasma TV screen. The back of the room was built like a study or library, with bookshelves lining the west-facing wall and a desk with a high-tech office chair behind it. A large table with high-backed chairs occupied the centre of the room. Thalia was impressed by it all.

"This place is amazing!"

"Thanks," Philip replied, obviously pleased at his design. "I've been designing this place for months, ever since we had the idea of coming here."

"Well, it certainly shows." She then noticed the stairs set in the front corner of the south wall. "Can I see upstairs?"

"Of course."

Just then, a mobile phone rang in Prometheus' suit pocket, which he answered.

"Prometheus. Yes, yes I know. I'm on my way. Look, we'll sort it when we get there, OK? Yes? Bye." He disconnected. "That was Zeus. I've gotta go, some spat between Hecate and Iris that he wants help with." He turned to Philip. "Well, I guess we finally made it."

"That we did," Philip shed a tear at their dream finally come true as he embraced his father. "I'll see you around."

"I hope so. It won't be as often, I've got too much to do nowadays. So, you be good, and have fun."

"I will dad." He hugged his son one last time, then stepped back into a column of smoke and vanished. Philip turned to Thalia. "So, on with the tour?"

"Actually," she had a shy look about her as she spoke. "There's kind of this rule in camp that a boy and girl shouldn't be alone together in a cabin, and especially considering I'm a Hunter..."

"Ah." Philip realised with embarrassment. "Well –"

"You don't need to worry about that!" A girls voice came from outside. They both turned to see two people, a boy and girl, walking into the cabin.

"Piper! Leo!" Thalia recognised and rushed forward to greet her friends.

"Hey Thalia!" Piper hugged her.

"Hey." Leo just waved, mindful of the Hunters 'No Boys' rule.

"Philip, this is Piper McLean and Leo Valdez," Thalia introduced them. "Guys, this is Philip de Tellimor, who's obviously the senior counsellor of the new Prometheus cabin."

"Hi."

"Hi Philip" Piper said.

"Hey Phil," Leo walked forward and shook hands, which got an odd stare from the girls. "I'd say it's nice to see a new face around here, but we get that a lot. I'm senior counsellor for the Hephaestus cabin, by the way."

"And I'm senior counsellor for the Aphrodite cabin."

"Well, I guess that means we'll be great friends." They all laughed at his joke.

"Yeah, I guess we will," Leo laughed. "Anyways, Chiron sent us to tell you that as senior counsellor, he wants you to come to the meeting we're having this afternoon. It is actually about you and the fact that your cabin is, well, a little different."

"Right. Thanks for the heads up."

"So," Piper said. "I believe I heard the word 'tour' mentioned?"

"Right this way guys!" Philip laughed and led them upstairs.

"I wonder how Percy and Annabeth are enjoying their holiday?" Piper asked Thalia. Both girls giggled at the collective thought that just struck them, then they followed the two boys up the stairs.

* * *

**Rome, some hotel somewhere**

Percy looked out across Rome from the balcony of their hotel room. Percy found that there was nothing quite like sunset over the ocean to calm him, and as he watched the sun descend into the Mediterranean, the Mare Nostrum as demigods knew it, he wondered if Annabeth had chosen this room for that very reason. She stepped onto the balcony and snuggled up against him, his right arm holding her close to his body, and together they watched the sun go down. Percy knew then, in that moment, that he would never be able to let go of Annabeth. This moment was perhaps the closest he had ever felt to anyone, as if he and Annabeth had simply stopped being two distinct people and merged into a single personality. She truly was his other half.

"Wouldn't it be good," he said to her. "If we could just stay like this forever."

"Like what, exactly?"

"So close to one another that I can't actually bring myself to define us as two people. So close it's as if we were one whole, two parts that fit together perfectly."

Annabeth smiled. "Just like the old stories."

"Old stories?"

"In ancient times, it was believed that humans were born with two heads, four arms and four legs. When Prometheus brought fire down from Olympus, Zeus so feared our power that he cut every human in half, forming two distinct people, who would forever be condemned to search for their other half for the rest of their lives."

"Well, I'm glad he did."

"You are?"

"Yes." He looked at her with a heart-melting smile. "Because if he hadn't, I'd have never been able to find you." Annabeth smiled back, and kissed him deeply, savouring the taste of the ocean on his lips. His hands massaged her back, making her purr softly in her throat. They moved into the room, still kissing. Percy then moved his hands down to her shorts and undid them, letting them drop to the floor. She stepped out of them and lifted his shirt over his head, breaking contact momentarily, before kissing him deeply again. Percy unbuttoned Annabeth's shirt and threw it on the floor as well. She then ripped his jeans off, so they both stood there in nothing but their underwear.

Percy leaned them both onto the bed before undoing her bra, which he quickly followed up by removing her underwear. She almost literally tore his boxer shorts off, revealing a very sizable erection, which he slowly inserted into her body.

She gasped as he went all the way in, amazed she could accommodate its sheer size. He gazed at her for a second, and she gazed back, lost in his deep, green eyes. She nodded, and he slowly began to thrust. Rather than increasingly speeding up, he took it slow and gentle, creating a deep, sensuous feeling between them both. They lasted like this for hours, and when Annabeth finally climaxed, it was like a tidal wave of pleasure had swept through her entire body.

They collapsed besides one another, Annabeth snuggled into Percy's arms, the way they always slept. They just held one another for a time, until Percy stirred a little.

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember our first kiss?"

"How could I forget? Your sixteenth, just after Manhattan. It was the best feeling in the world."

"Yeah. I never thought I would find someone like you. From the day I first saw you in the infirmary, I fell instantly in love with you. I spent the next four years trying to get with you, but in the end I had to fight the most powerful Titan of all time and pals to get your attention." Annabeth giggled furiously at that. "And then we had that kiss. The best feeling of all. And then there was the underwater kiss, you remember that?"

"Yeah! The others all threw us into the canoe lake!"

"Yeah. Obviously they forgot I was the son of Poseidon and we could stay down there as long as we damned well pleased! But, honestly, those were the best days of my life. Still are, actually. And then Hera kidnapped me, and yours was the only name I could remember. Finding you again was like having a thousand lead weights lifted off my heart. And then, we fell into Tartarus..."

"Yes. You never let me go."

"And I never could. I honestly thought we'd never escape, but I didn't mind as long as you were there. But then, finally, she saved us."

"Yes. Arella."

"And after the defeat of Gaia and the giants, after we slew Porphyrion, I finally had you back again."

"As much as I'm loving it, Percy, is this going anywhere?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes, yes it is. Get dressed and meet me on the balcony." He hopped out of bed and got dressed, surreptitiously collecting a small box from his case as he did. Intrigued, Annabeth got dressed and followed him. She looked up at the night sky, awed by its beauty.

"We're in the middle of Rome, and yet no light pollution."

"I think we can thank the gods for that. Or at least, I can."

"What do you mean?" He turned her to face him.

"Annabeth, after Tartarus, I realised something that was in my heart from the day I met you. I will never be able to let you go. I want us to be together for the rest of time; so I'm doing something I should have done a long time ago." He pulled the box out of his pocket, and with wide eyes Annabeth realised what it was.

"Percy, is that what I..." He opened the box, and inside was a ring. A simple gold band, with three diamonds set straight into the metal. Annabeth gasped, and Percy got down on one knee.

"Annabeth Chase," he asked, with a tear of pure joy in his eye. "Will you marry me?"

Annabeth's eyes shone, and the smile on her face would be the happiest thing Percy would ever see.

"Yes, Percy, of course I will!" She rushed into his arms and kissed him, the happiest girl in the world.

* * *

From Olympus, Poseidon watched his son propose to the daughter of his deadliest enemy. Athena was beside him.

"Well," he started, giving her a _look_.

"Well," she answered. She thought for a moment, then looked straight at Poseidon. "You know what? I think this little feud of ours has run its course, don't you?"

Breaking into a smile, Poseidon answered, "Yes. Yes, I think it has." Athena smiled back at him, before embracing her new ally. Then, together, they went off to give the news to Aphrodite, who had made them promise her to tell them of any new developments.

* * *

**Asteral: **Hey guys. I hope you like the plot twister I put in. I'd had a complaint (though completely valid, and not unwelcome) that there wasn't enough Percabeth in the story. Although, I might take this moment to say that it is not a Percabeth story. They are main characters and this is a romance, but they won't be getting all the attention. Trust me, the stories I hear involving a certain Mr. di Angelo are very racy.

Anyway, watch this space for the next instalment, and I'm always on the lookout for ideas. If you have some, shout them out at me! (Virtual cookies will be thrown back.)


	7. The Demon's First Strike

**The Demons' First Strike**

**DISCLAIMER **(with Aphrodite, Apollo and the Widowmaker)

**Apollo: **Hey, buddy!

**Aphrodite: **Hi Asteral! (Girly smiles)

**Asteral: **(Steely glare)

**Aphrodite: **Asteral?

**Asteral: **Hmm. (Continues steely glare)

**Apollo: **Just out of interest, who is the Widowmaker and when are we meeting her?

**Asteral: **(Presses button on sofa, chaingun rises up, points at them and deploys two laser sights and an additional mini-gun.) Now.

**Apollo: **OK, what did we do wrong?

**Asteral: **You do know where my allegiance lies on Olympus?

**Aphrodite: **Ah.

**Asteral: **And you do know I haven't told her yet?

**Apollo: **We do now.

**Asteral:** So, now could you be so kind as to do the disclaimer.

**Aphrodite: **Of course. Asteral doesn't own PJO or HOO. And he's the greatest guy ever (cheesy grin).

**Asteral: **We need to talk. (Looks to audience) You'd best move on. I'll be kicked off the site if I have to put this into print.

* * *

When Percy and Annabeth returned to camp, news of their engagement had clearly arrived ahead of them. The first thing they saw was Piper running towards them and tackling them both in a massive bear hug, almost squealing her congratulations at them.

"I can't believe you two are finally getting married! Oh, it's so sweet. I'm so excited for you two!" she squeaked excitedly.

"Yes, we can hear that." Percy said, smiling nonetheless. As Annabeth hugged Piper properly, who had now started jabbering on about wedding details, Leo and Nico ran up the hill to meet them, closely followed by Grover. At least, so Percy thought until he saw them in full armour and carrying weapons

"Percy!" Grover shouted. "Behind you!" No sooner had he heard him than he had swivelled around, his sword Riptide in his hand, and saw what they were running to. A satyr and a young brunette girl – presumably another demigod – were running into the camp, being chased by a –

Percy blinked and looked again; the monster was something he had never encountered before, and would previously have never believed to have existed. Standing well over 10 feet, with talons as long as Riptide, a frog-like face with small, golden, malicious eyes and fangs as long as daggers, an appendage of spikes on its back that looked better suited for a tank and running easily at 30 mph, Percy could only describe it as a hairless hellhound that had learned to walk on its back legs.

The six of them got into battle formation, Annabeth wielding her bronze knife and Piper armed with Katoptris, and prepared to charge the beast, when suddenly an explosion of black smoke filled the air, and Philip appeared before them. Afterwards, Percy could only describe his appearance as terrifying: He wore black armour in a style he had never seen, with slits on the back of his breastplate that looked to accommodate wings and blades coming out of his bracers; in his left hand he held a long dagger, made presumably of Stygian iron, like Nico's sword, and in his right a vicious looking combat whip, with multiple ends like a cat'o'nine tails. It seemed to be on fire, and burned a variety of hues – orange, purple, blue and green – but on closer inspection, Percy realised it was actually _made _of fire.

The monster stopped in its tracks, clearly wary of his new opponent.

"Your kind are not welcome here, Belahzur," Philip spoke, clearly addressing the monster. "Abbadon's demons are not permitted in Mortalis. The girl is under my protection; leave, before I destroy you." He turned to the others. "Get her to the camp. Warn Chiron, and get her to my cabin. Only there can she be truly safe." Grover, Piper and Leo joined the other satyr in getting the girl into the camp, but Percy, Annabeth and Nico stayed where they were, clearly amazed at Philip's hidden powers.

He turned back to the monster. It screamed, and charged at him. Philip drew back his whip and launched it at the monster's chest. The whip literally burned through it on contact, and the monster screamed again, before erupting in a pillar of flame and vanishing, leaving a pile of ash behind.

Percy was amazed. He knew by instinct that he wouldn't survive taking on a monster like that alone, and he was nearly invincible – thanks to the Curse of Achilles– but Philip had completely destroyed it in one blow, not even breaking a sweat. _Holy mother of Hades! Who is this guy?! _He thought.

Philip turned to the others. "Nico," he spoke to the younger demigod. "Go to Chiron. Tell him that the Forbidden Boundary has been breached. He'll know what you're talking about." Nico rushed off, not questioning a demititan this powerful. "Annabeth, Percy, we have to round up the others. Until I can perform the Protection Rites, the camp is not safe. Belahzur will have reinforcements, and lots of them, and they will be close by."

"But –" Annabeth started.

"No time!" Philip cut her off. "That girl must be defended at all costs. The continued existence of this world depends on it." As if to prove his point, a squad of monsters charged up the hill. They moved faster than either Percy or Annabeth could see, but Philip waved his blade and caused a literal smokescreen to appear. They charged into it and froze in time, before Philip cast his whip across them and annihilated the whole squad.

At this point, Percy ran to do as he asked, not even contemplating questioning the orders of someone as powerful as Philip seemed to be.

As they ran back into the camp, Chiron galloped towards them from the Big House, with Dionysus in hot pursuit. Both were clearly ready for battle, something none of the demigods had ever seen.

"Is it true?" Chiron demanded of Philip. "Have they found us?"

"Yes." After the adrenaline of the first battle, Philip now looked shaken to the core. "They're here. And I hope to the gods you're ready, because right now we're fighting the battle of our lives. Belahzur may be gone for now, but He has other generals. They're all going to be here. I just hope She can send reinforcements in time."

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked. "Who's coming?" Philip looked at her, as if deciding what he could tell her. He relented.

"Annabeth, the world of the gods and Titans and Primordials, do you think that accounts for everything?"

"Well, yes, it has to -"

"It doesn't. There is another realm of beings, of demonkind, that exist in parallel with this world, Mortalis. My powers are drawn from the energies of that realm, what mortals unwittingly call Oblivion. I am more than I appear. My father being a Titan Lord is nothing, because my mother is –"

"TELLIMOR!" A shout came from the beach, in a voice that could have scared Hades. They turned, and saw another demon general and his guards, this time with a prisoner. "Look who we've got, Tellimor!" The demon was obviously taunting Philip. When he looked, he gasped in shock.

"NO!" He made to run down the beach towards them, but Chiron grabbed him and held him back. "Not my brother!"

The demon laughed. "If you ever wish to see your brother alive again, surrender her to us."

"Never!" Philip shouted back. The demon laughed and hefted his weapon – a vicious looking scythe that looked scarily like the scythe of Kronos. He made to kill Philip's brother, but Dionysus charged.

"No! Leave Will out of this!" He raised his thyrsus and prepared to strike, but never had the chance. Philip's body evaporated into smoke, and grew to well over 15 feet. He took on the form of a giant winged demon, his body a mixture of smoke and fire. A staff grew in his hands, which he pointed at the enemy demons, and spoke in an ancient language that none of the others recognized. The water around the demons boiled and erupted, incinerating the demons immediately. Of his brother, Percy could see nothing. When the water settled, the smoke demon dissipated, and Philip collapsed into Chiron's arms.

"Find him, Calypso," he whispered. "Find Will." He then blacked out, leaving a god, two half-bloods and an immortal centaur more terrified than they'd ever been.

"What was that?" Percy asked incredulously.

"I have no idea," Chiron answered, clearly shaken by what he'd seen. "Never, in all my long years, have I seen anything like this. But," he picked Philip up and headed for the infirmary. "He's still a camper, and still our friend. Percy, rouse the others and prepare to defend the camp. Annabeth, follow me. Mr. D, we're going to need help. See if the other gods will come." Dionysus nodded, and vanished to Olympus. As Annabeth followed Chiron, she wondered anew who Philip was. _Zeus had been right to bring him here_, she thought. _But was it for his safety, or ours?_

* * *

Meanwhile, Philip's brother, Will, had been launched sky high by his brothers magic. When he regained consciousness, he was lying on a bed in cave. The ceiling was decorated with crystals that shifted colour. When he saw that, he realised that he was in the only place in the world with a cave like that – the island of Ogygia. Philip had ensured his safety by sending him to the one person who could rescue him, Calypso, the daughter of Atlas. Will slowly sat up in the bed and steadied himself.

Now, if someone had met either of these two individually, they would never have guessed they were brothers. Will had the same messy hair that Philip had, but it was light brown in colour rather than the jet black hair synonymous with Prometheus. Will was different because he was just a mortal. The hair style was the only similarity. Instead of brown eyes, his were an odd shade of amber. Where his brother dressed smart, with dark shirts and trousers, Will wore a blue check shirt, with the sleeves rolled up above his elbows, over a light green t-shirt with the words _Save the Kakapo_ brandished across it, and frayed three-quarter length jeans with sandals. As Will got dressed, a young girl of fifteen or sixteen came into the cave. Will recognised her as Calypso, and smiled at her. She smiled back, but Will noticed that her eyes were slightly red; she had clearly been crying about something.

"So, the sleeping hero wakes from his slumber." Calypso spoke, her voice as soft as warm honey.

"How long was I unconscious?"

"About five days." It hardly surprised him. He had effectively been launched into the sky on the back of a water geyser. "I get the impression you know who I am."

"Of course, Calypso." Will answered. "Only washing up here could I survive what happened. And I am most grateful for you rescuing me." She smiled at him in gratitude.

"Would you like to see my island?" she offered.

"I would be delighted." Will followed her out of the cave, basking in the paradise he had found himself in, and wondered if his brother was alright.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys, sorry it's taken this long to update, what with the combination of exams and finding a house for next year. I hope you enjoy this update, and check out my Kane Chronicles story as well: **Dating the Death Dude**. Enjoy!


	8. City at the Edge of Olympia

**DISCLAIMER (with Chiron)**

**Asteral: **So, did you enjoy your trip to Brussels?

**Chiron: **Why yes. Fascinating place. I should volunteer as a school chaperone more often.

**Asteral: **Indeed. Anyways, would you be so kind as to do the disclaimer?

**Chiron: **Certainly. Asteral doesn't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. The marvelous Rick Riordan does. Have you actually met him, by the way?

**Asteral: **No, I haven't.

**Chiron: **I met him once on one of his signing tours. Recognised me immediately, and we met up at a cafe afterwards...

_The reader is left completely bemused, and simply proceeds to read the rest of the story._

* * *

**City at the Edge of Olympia**

2 Hours after the Demons' First Strike

Chiron and Annabeth were gathered around Philip, who was unconscious in the infirmary. His brow was covered in sweat, his whole body was shivering, and he kept muttering under his breath; sometimes in a different language, sometimes so enigmatically that Annabeth couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"He will be alright, Chiron?"

"I don't know, child. Those powers he used are unlike anything I've ever seen before. Well, unlike anything in our world..."

"What do you mean, 'our world'?" Annabeth asked.

"It is better that you don't know. We are kept apart for a reason." He gazed off into the distance for a moment. "But that's hardly relevant now. What we saw is something I have never seen before. Something none of us have seen before."

"What did he mean about demons?" Annabeth looked at him, scared. "Demons from realms beyond what we know?" Chiron looked just as worried.

"I don't know, child. We can only hope he survives his ordeal to tell us." As they watched Philip in his fitful sleep, he suddenly said something they both understood.

"Atlantis," he murmured. "The city at the edge of Olympia. When the Sword of the Raptor Star finds its way through the storm and calm, all shall be free, and the final battle begins, to decide the fate of both our worlds." At this, he fell quiet and still, and began to sleep soundly for the first time since the battle. Chiron and Annabeth shared a look, both silently asking the same question: _What have we just heard?_

* * *

Meanwhile, on Ogygia, Calypso and Will were eating together on the beach. They were sharing stories about each other's past lives. Will had just told her the story of how he had once rescued his pet cat Questor from a tree after he had climbed it, forgetting his deathly fear of heights. Calypso laughed, but trailed off slightly. Will sighed. He knew who she was, and he knew all about her: his brother had hidden nothing from him about the world of the Olympians.

"Calypso," she turned to look.

"Yes?"

"Don't think I don't know about your curse." She dropped her gaze, her eyes turning sad. "My brother, Philip, told me everything he could about this world. He also told me that the gods lifted your curse some months ago."

"They did. One day, Lord Hermes came and announced that I was free to go where I pleased, that my punishment was complete." She looked off into the distance. "At first, it felt like bliss. I was finally freed from my prison. I wandered the world, saw many wonders. But, as I wandered, I found I kept returning to my island. I have the powers of an Olympian, but I have remained trapped for too long. I came to realise that I had no purpose. A god or Titan without a purpose can be dangerous or broken; I had become the latter. The only beauty I could find in the world was on my island, so though I was free to go, I ended up staying." She turned to look at Will with tears in her eyes. "And then you come along, and I realise that my curse is not completely gone." Calypso put her hands on her face and cried. Will put his arms around her and pulled her into a comforting hug.

"Don't cry, Calypso. Seeing the world anew after thousands of years is bound to affect you. I once heard a story of a man who had been blind nearly all his life. Eventually, science found a way to restore his vision, and after surgery he could see again. But what he saw he found so frightening, that 2 years later he took his own life."

"Really?" Calypso gasped.

"Yep. It's the same with anyone really." Will turned to look straight at her. "But I promise you, Calypso, that I will never let the same happen to you. I will free you from this, truly and completely, and I won't stop until I'm done."

"You would do this?" Calypso asked him. "For me?"

"Yes. Because, being here on this island, meeting you in person, seeing how kind and caring and beautiful you are with my own eyes, I realised..." His eyes shone as he spoke to her.

"Calypso, I love you." Calypso's eyes widened.

"You do?"

"Yes. Like no one else."

"Oh, Will..." He leaned forward and kissed her, long and slow, and she kissed him back.

"I must return to my brother. I have to help him in his fight. But I will return and I will free you, my love." He kissed her again. "I will free you." And with that, he faded into the air, and vanished, leaving Calypso to wonder. After a moment, a smile crept across her face. She pulled her knees up to her chest, and smiled as she watched the sun set. For the first time in three thousand years, she felt truly happy, and there was no doubt in her mind that Will would rescue her.

* * *

**Camp Half-Blood**

"And he said that when the sword of the Raptor Star finds its way to Atlantis, the final war shall be fought and the fate of both our worlds shall be decided?" Percy clarified with the room at large. After Chiron and Annabeth had heard what Philip had muttered seemingly in his sleep, they had called an emergency counsellors meeting to see if anyone could make sense of it. So far, it was not going well.

"Well I don't know about you guys," Rachel spoke up. "But it sounds an awful lot like a prophecy to me."

"I agree." Will Solace nodded his agreement. "But if it were a prophecy, wouldn't we have known about it by now. Rachel certainly hasn't spoken it, and I don't remember the old Oracle saying something like it either."

"He's right," Annabeth began. "It may sound like a prophecy, but if it is, it certainly isn't one we've heard of. Right now, my working theory is that this is a prophecy from this 'other world' that Philip seems, at least in part, to belong to. We need to know more about it, and unless Philip miraculously awakes sometime in the next few minutes, we're gonna have to find out for ourselves."

"Sounds like we need a quest." Clarisse said. "Someone's gonna have to leave camp and find out anything we can about this 'other world'."

"I agree," Chiron spoke up for the first time since the meeting started. "However, this is not going to be a conventional quest as we know it. We are exploring unknown territories now. We no longer have the safety net of the stories of heroes gone by to guide us. Whoever goes on this quest will be venturing completely into the unknown. So, who among you will take the challenge?"

"Perhaps it would be best to hear the prophecy first." Rachel suggested. "It might give us some clues as to what we can expect."

"An excellent idea, Miss Dare. If you would be so kind?" At this, Rachel promptly fainted into the arms of Will and Percy, who then sat her down on a stool that Connor Stoll had brought into the room. Suddenly, her eyes opened and turned completely green. Green smoke poured out of her mouth as she spoke the prophecy:

_Three shall go North, across the sea of ice,_

_And there shall encounter the Guardians thrice,_

_Each with a challenge to test their worth,_

_To allow them to descend into the bowels of the Earth._

_Into Oblivion, the Owl, the Sea and the Dove,_

_Must go before Chaos consumes the world above._

_The sword of the Star of the Raptor to find,_

_It's power to wield, the world to rebind._

As she finished, her head lolled forward and she regained consciousness.

"What did I say?" She asked groggily as Will made sure she was alright.

"It would seem, Miss Dare, that you have lent some credence to the words spoken by our unconscious friend." Chiron mused. "And it is now apparent as to our next course of action. Annabeth, my dear, this would appear to be your quest now."

"So," Annabeth thought about the prophecy, trying to determine its hidden instructions. "_Three shall go North, across the sea of ice._"

"Easy," Percy said. "The Arctic Circle. The whole area is just an ocean frozen over with permafrost."

"OK. _And there shall encounter the Guardians thrice._"

"Probably guardians of this demon realm that Philip seems to hail from." Leo guessed.

"So, _Each with a challenge to test their worth _suggests that we have to pass these Guardians to gain access to the demon realms."

"Precisely," Piper chimed in. "_To allow them to descend into the bowels of the Earth_ is fairly self-explanatory. _Into Oblivion, the Owl, the Sea and the Dove, Must go before Chaos consumes the world above. _Well, the Owl is you, Annabeth, the Sea is obviously Percy and the Dove-"

"Is you, Piper." Percy finished. "Well, this prophecy seems fairly definitive so far."

"What's wrong with that?" Will asked.

"Uh, it's a prophecy? They're never definitive except to point out when one of us is going to die. Something's different about this. Something unusual."

"This whole situation is unusual, Percy." Leo pointed out.

"Fair enough. What were those last two lines again, Annabeth?"

"_The sword of the Star of the Raptor to find, it's power to wield, the world to rebind. _Philip said something about that sword. So, it seems that Percy, Piper and I have got to go and find it, and using it's power -"

"Rebind the world?" Will asked. "I don't know about you guys, but that makes absolutely no sense to me."

"This is a prophecy, Will." Leo pointed out (again). "Like Percy said, it's not really supposed to make sense until after it's happened."

"Well, that's settled then." Chiron said. "Annabeth, Percy and Piper will go North, find these Guardians, descend into this other realm and try to find the sword of the Raptor Star, whatever that it is."

"And bring it back before chaos consumes the Earth." Clarisse finished.

"Well, no pressure then." Percy stood up. "I'd better go talk to my dad."

"Your father?" Chiron asked.

"Yep. If we're going to the Arctic Circle, we're gonna need some transport. I'm sure dad can get us a ship of some sort. Because believe me, after that business in Alaska, I'll be damned if I'm flying up there again."


End file.
